The Little Alchemist
by The-Missing-Paige
Summary: Edward Elric has an interesting life as a merman, but it's not enough for the perpetually curious alchemist. He's convinced life is better on land, especially after rescuing a handsome man from a shipwreck. Can the sea witch solve his problems, or will Ed be trapped in the ocean forever? Parody of Disney's The Little Mermaid.
1. Chapter 1

_"Can you do it? Can you bring her back?" My voice trembled, hope mixing with fear of the Sea Witch._

_"Hmm, now, raising the dead…" Dante pondered. "I've never tried before. It will cost you."_

_"Anything!" We promised together, determined._

_Dante laughed, her homunculi echoing the sound from the shadows. Alphonse shivered beside me. "Don't you know better than to promise something so rash?"_

_Her circle glowed. Finally, we would have our mother back…but, wait, the light was changing. Hands shot out towards me; Al screamed._

_"Al!" I turned towards him, mouth gaping as I watched my brother disappear. "AL!"_

_"You have to pay a hefty price for such an act, Edward Elric." Dante cackled. "What will you give up?"_

_"G-give him back!"_

_"Hmm…" somehow the musings of the Sea Witch were ominous. "I should be able to arrange this…and your guilt will be a much better prize than anything else. I'm afraid I won't be able to complete your mother though. Choose—your mother or your brother…"_

_I gulped. "J-just give me Alphonse back!"_

_The light from the transmutation circle faded, while another grew behind Dante. Metal formed, armor floating behind her. Then, from the armor—"Brother!"_

_It was Al. He was empty._

* * *

I gasped, jerking out of the dream, grateful it had ended there. Usually it continued, up until I saw the thing Dante had resurrected…I gritted my teeth, scowling. It was over, that happened years ago. I shouldn't still have that stupid nightmare.

"Brother?"

Sighing, I turned towards Al. We shared the same room, though he could no longer sleep, not since being turned into armor. "It's nothing, Al."

"I know you had the dream again, Brother."

"Yeah, but it's just a dream. I'm fine." And I was, for the most part. Sure, I still missed Mom, but I'd come to terms with the fact that the dead don't come back. They shouldn't. Really, the only thing lingering from that day was the guilt, terrible guilt for getting Alphonse stuck like he was.

Al huffed. I could see him in my head, the way he used to be, rolling his eyes and swishing his tail at how stubborn I was.

"Hey, is he awake yet?"

"I wish you'd just call him Dad, Brother."

"He didn't do _anything_ when she died, Al. He didn't even bother to see how we were, to stop his 'official business' long enough to realize what we were planning. He's not a dad." I frowned again. I _hated_ when Alphonse decided to defend him. "Anyway, is he?"

"No." Though I could tell he was still miffed, I could hear the smile in Al's voice. He loved sneaking out almost as much as I did.

"C'mon then!" I swam out the door, hurried, wincing when my scales shimmered. I wished I could have had another color; the red was just so _noticeable_.

It was way easier than it should have been to avoid the palace guards. I had wanted to move out, but Hohenheim wouldn't have that. Still, if he really wanted to keep me and Al in, he should have increased security. I mean, come on, we're mermen. It's only a courtesy to swim through the halls. There's really nothing stopping us from using windows as exits.

Once the city was out of sight below, I smiled. It felt so nice, being free like this. And heading for the surface was even better.

I broke the water, breathing in the morning air; I loved it. Water left a weird tingling in my mouth.

Al came up beside me, his metal tail pumping the water. Made out of our metal, he didn't sink like he would have with the heavy human variety, but it still took some work to get him to stay up.

We swam up to the rock, alone, in the middle of the ocean, pulling ourselves up. It was things like this, having to drag myself up to Winry's shack, that made me think humans were better off; legs could swim _and_ walk. Tails were so limited. And Al had it even harder, his metal making a dreadful screeching noise.

"Yo, Winry!" We shouted. She was usually up, tinkering with her so-called _automail_, but somehow never heard us coming. "It's us!"

A thump was heard inside, then she opened the door, waving her wrench around as always. "Hey, guys!" she giggled.

There was something a little off about Winry. To use her words, she was "off her rocker, and damn proud." That's why she lived alone out here, only going to the mainland to buy supplies or see customers. That's also why she was safe to talk to—even if she talked about her merman friends, none of the other humans would believe her.

"How's it going, Winry?" Al was always so polite around her. To be honest, I think he had a thing for the girl, but she had eyes only for her automail.

"Excellent!" Winry's eyes got a little glassy. "I'm working on this arm, and I've made the fingers _five times _more mobile! This is revolutionary!"

I rolled my eyes, listening to her prattle on. I sometimes wondered if all humans were as weird as her. I pulled at my hair, curious as always about how heavy it got up here. I vaguely paid attention to Winry's explanations of this and that, understanding none of it. Really, I was waiting for the sunrise, easily my favorite thing about the world above the water. None of the colors reach us down below.

And there it was. I smiled, satisfied by the breaking orange glow on the waves. Breathtaking.

But at this point, I had to start worrying. The rest of the merfolk would be waking up soon, and our "guardian" (I prefer to think of her as a babysitter) Izumi would check our rooms first thing, as always. We had to be there.

"Hey, Al."

"Yeah, I know, Brother. Winry, we have to go."

"Man, they keep you on a tight leash down there don't they? How can you have a curfew before the day even begins?"

I snorted, then froze, hearing a faint splashing sound.

"EDWARD! ALPHONSE!"

"Shit," I muttered. That was Izumi alright.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

"Bye!" Alphonse squeaked, before making his way down the rock as fast as possible. I followed suit; Izumi wasn't just loud, she was scary, and not afraid to smack us around.

Of course, that's exactly what she did upon seeing us. "You know better, Edward! Your father doesn't want you up here!" Another hit.

"He can't even remember his family, no wonder he doesn't consider that the surface might not be all bad," I muttered. Talking back was a bad idea, but I _hated_ the restrictions he put on me.

"Brother!"

"Edward!"

My head was really starting to hurt from Izumi's pounding. I didn't envy Al his body, but at least he couldn't feel her blows. "Come on, we're going home! And," she added, seeing my reluctance, "if you don't argue, I _might_ not tell Hohenheim about this."

That was a good deal. I sighed, diving in, the sound of Winry's lingering giggles echoing in my ears.


	2. Chapter 2

"You _know_ I don't want you going to the surface, Edward!"

"You say that like I give a damn."

Hohenheim inhaled deeply, trying to maintain his calm. I had to admit, as much as I hated his rules, it was nice to see him get riled up.

"Look, it's _dangerous_, son."

"Don't call me your son," I scowled. "And how would you know? You're too busy with your precious politics and ruling your kingdom to learn about the humans."

"Trust me, Edward. To them, we are the stuff of myths. If any normal human were to capture you, or any of us, they would investigate you. Do you know what that means? They'd cut you open just to see how you work!"

I couldn't control myself; I pushed off my bed, getting in his face. "What if they _didn't_? There's danger in everything, but you have to try or else you'll never get anywhere!"

"I'm done with this discussion, Edward."

"Big fucking surprise. You always back out, get away from me and Al whenever anything serious happens."

Hohenheim raised a hand, then apparently thought better than to try and touch me. Good. I would have hit him. He sighed, leaving my room.

Al appeared in the doorway, tentative. "Brother—"

"Look, I don't want to talk about him, Al." Contrary to what I said, I flopped down on my bed, continuing in a whisper. "He won't even give me a chance, won't even listen. The humans are so _fascinating_…I'm just curious, is all. But he won't have it…some father he is."

Alphonse paused, thoughtful. "Brother…I shouldn't tell you this, as it will only get you in more trouble, but it might cheer you up, too…there's a ship above us."

"What!?" I shot up, eyes gleaming. "Let's go, what are we waiting for?"

"I was afraid you'd say that," Al muttered behind me, following despite his obvious apprehension.

I was thrilled, this was fantastic—a _human ship_, above us. It was getting dark on the surface by now, so we could hide okay. Maybe I'd even get to see a human other than Winry! My tail shook in excitement, which I tried to control; it was kind of embarrassing.

However, we weren't far outside the palace before Izumi caught up. "And _where_ do you think you're going, Ed?"

"Just need to be away from that place, is all," I thought on my fins, trying to find an excuse. "There's supposed to be a storm tonight, right?" Izumi nodded, and I mentally sighed, relieved that I had gotten the forecast right. "Well, I like to feel some of the currents…helps me think, you know."

She studied me and Al for a moment, and I thought I was caught for sure when she nodded. "All right then. I'm only supposed to keep you from the surface, and even you know better than to go up there during a storm."

I smiled and waved, swimming away, dragging Al behind me. The trouble was, though I _knew_ better, I was stupid enough to ignore the danger.

* * *

The ship was enormous, and intricately designed. We snuck right up to it, so I could feel the wood. It was so _strange_, different from the coral we have down below. Sounds of laughter floated down from the deck of the ship; the humans were celebrating something.

Of course, I immediately found a way up.

There was a ladder on the side (I remembered the name easily, having watched Winry fall off one once), and with a toss from Al, I was able to reach the lowest rung. It was slippery, and uncomfortably rough, and nowhere near as sturdy as Winry's had been, but it would do. Unfortunately, there was no way Alphonse would make it up with his body.

"You go ahead, Brother! I'll be fine down here."

And he was probably telling the truth. Though Al had a fondness for Winry, he wasn't quite as enamored by humans in general as I was. I nodded, and headed up.

As I went, the noises got louder, and music started up. There was a sharp bang, and then some yells, and for a moment I thought something had happened. But the laughter resumed, and so I kept climbing.

Near the top of the ladder, I found a ledge, conveniently located by the gaps in a railing. Perfect for spying on the humans aboard the ship.

My first peek took my breath away.

He was easily the most beautiful human I had ever seen. Black hair reflected the firelight from the torches and candles on the ship, and I longed to touch it and see if it was as soft as it looked. He seemed to be wearing a uniform, matching the rest of those on the ship, so I couldn't see _him_, really. But those eyes—they seemed to be searching, either midnight or the darkest blue. If anyone could spot me, it was him.

"Roy!" Another man stumbled up to him, clutching a bottle. "How's it going, Roy?"

So his name was Roy.

"It is a wonder to me, Havoc, that you manage both to forget protocol and to not get seasick even when inebriated." I didn't believe in a god, but his voice made me wonder. It was funny—he seemed irritated with the blonde man clinging to him, but he still smiled slightly.

"See anything, Brother?" Al's whisper was barely audible from my current height. I looked down, beaming.

"Yeah. Yeah I do."

Unluckily for me, I spoke just as the music paused. I was quiet, but when I turned back, Roy's head was cocked in my direction, puzzlement on his face. I dared not breathe, conflicted; should I run, avoid the possible danger of the man like Hohenheim would want me to, or should I let him find me and risk it?

I was frozen, unable to make a choice. I detested the thought of giving in to Hohenheim, but something about Roy let me know he was dangerous—charming and enticing, but not necessarily entirely safe. He could, at the very least, I was sure, defend himself if he concluded that I was a danger.

It turned out I didn't have to choose, because at that moment, the incoming storm struck. A wave crashed into the opposite side of the ship, sending me plummeting to the water and Roy stumbling across the deck.

I broke the water, immediately coming back up, ignoring Al's screams for me to get back underwater as I watched the ship. The fires had toppled, spreading across the hull of the ship even as Roy and the rest of them tried to get it under control, prevent it from tipping over entirely.

There was no hope, and I splashed around, panicked, as the ship began to sink around me. All over, the humans were abandoning it, getting into lifeboats and rowing away.

But where was Roy?

"Roy!" This time, a woman's voice shouted his name. "I know you have this thing about being the master of fire," she continued. "And you are pretty good about getting it under control, but not is not the time! Get off the damn ship!"

He was still on board! I swam toward the ship, now breaking apart, trying to find him.

Lightning struck, blinding me and splitting the remains of the ship. I blinked the light out of my eyes, searching frantically.

There! It was just a glimpse, but he was to my left, now at the mercy of the sea.

And he was drowning.


	3. Chapter 3

I didn't hesitate, swimming over to Roy as fast as I could against the waves. He went under before I got there, and I followed, grabbing desperately for his collar. His jacket was so _heavy_—all those brass pieces were going to kill him.

I pulled the coat off him, already slack with unconsciousness, noting the area in which I thought it would sink to. The jacket would be a nice keepsake later on.

I then dragged him to the surface. For me, this was worse; the waves were growing in intensity and the sky was clouded over, but Roy couldn't breathe under water. That, at least, was certainly one area in which merpeople one-upped humans by a long shot.

I scanned the area, unable to find Alphonse—he had most likely gone back down to the palace, as the raging sea would prove a challenge to his heavier body (plus, he would be the type to go for help). I did, however, spot a large chunk of ship, the carvings making for good handholds.

I managed to push Roy onto it, then pulled myself half-up as well in order to keep him from falling off. I closed my eyes, knowing I could do nothing now but ride the storm out.

There was no other choice if I was to save Roy.

* * *

I was exhausted by the time the storm cleared, and worried; Roy had not regained consciousness. I wasn't sure if this was normal for humans or not, but what could I do?

The piece of ship we were on floated in the current, headed for shore. That was good—I could leave Roy there, on land where he would be safe. Now, with the calm sea, I swam, my tail pushing through the waters, headed for the beach.

Once there, I laid Roy out carefully. I _wanted_ to rest myself, but I couldn't just leave him in the hands of fate—they, in my opinion and experience, weren't very reliable. I placed my head on his chest, relieved to find it still moving—he was alive then.

I went over the little I knew about humans from Winry. They had these things called _lungs_, I think, that helped them breathe…and lungs were in their chests. So…if lungs were used to air, water wouldn't be good for them, so I had to get any water out of his lungs, or so I guessed.

But how was I supposed to do that? I couldn't very well cut Roy open and leave his lungs to dry in the sun. I knew from witnessing Winry's stumbles that humans weren't any more durable than merfolk.

In frustration, I thumped his chest, shocked when the action caused a dribble of water to come out of his lips. Hopeful, I pushed down again, harder, and more came out, along with a cough.

Yes!

Another cough from Roy. I leaned over him, eager to see him wake up…

"Brother!"

I whipped around. "Al!" He was alright; a few bumps in his armor, but otherwise unscathed.

"Brother, we have to go! Father doesn't know yet that we left!"

That was shocking, and a good thing; I didn't need to deal with Hohenheim's lectures anymore. But, then again, I wanted to stay with Roy…dammit. "But…" I looked back to the man lying beside me, who was beginning to open his eyes. I'd just see him wake up, and then I'd leave. I just had to make sure he was okay, see those eyes…

Roy groaned, blinking in the sunlight. Instinctively, I cupped his cheek in my right hand. A giggle escaped me, which was irritating, but I couldn't help but smile. And then, true to my promise, I turned and dove back into the ocean, just as Roy sat up (probably wondering why a strange boy with a tail was hovering over him).

On the way down to the palace, I looked back to the surface. He had to be confused, and I wanted to return to him, but…I couldn't.

I was stuck in the water, tied down by Hohenheim as well as my nature.

"C'mon, Al, there's one thing we need to get before we go home."

* * *

"You're looking for a _jacket_!?"

"Yeah, I told you, Roy's jacket sunk when I saved him and I want it. I'm pretty sure it's over here somewhere…" I pulled up a rock, seeing something shiny underneath, but it was just a crab.

"Where could it…" and then I saw it, blue fabric swaying slightly in the current, stuck on a coral reef. "There!"

Of course, I had horrible timing—just as me and Al swam up, a shape appeared behind the reef, shadowy at first but then sharpening into quite possibly the last thing I wanted to see.

It was one of Dante's homunculi, Envy.

Immediately, I dove to the ocean floor, hurriedly transmuting a fist out of the compacted sand and directing it at him. Unfortunately, the slimy bastard got out of the way.

"Hey, hey, calm down…I'm just curious." Envy grabbed the jacket, making me grind my teeth. He _was not_ getting that.

"Give it here, asshole."

"Look, I know you've got some hard feelings, but can't we just talk?" He swam down to me, making me back up against Alphonse in disgust.

"You're really curious about humans, aren't you? After all, you've been searching for _forever_ for this jacket, right?"

I scowled, shuddering at the thought of being followed by the Sea Witch's homunculi—I had been in that position before, when they tempted me into going to her to bring my mother back. It was never a good situation.

Envy grinned. "I'll take that as a yes. But it's silly, isn't it? Chasing after a coat? Why are you—does it belong to someone special?" Evidently, I did not hide my emotions well enough, because he laughed. "Yep, it does. Edward's in _love_ with a_ human_!"

"I didn't say that!" I retorted angrily. I didn't _love_ Roy, I hardly knew him. I just thought he was gorgeous, and wanted to see him again, and…shit.

Envy snorted. "You didn't have to. But, if you care about this human so much, why go after their jacket? Why not them?"

Alphonse came to my defense…sort of. "He's a merman, Envy."

"So become human."

This suggestion was met with spluttering from Al, and silence from me. Become a human…dare I entertain the thought?

"Anyway, just a suggestion. Here," Envy tossed me the jacket, which I grabbed and held close, watching the homunculus depart as quickly as he had come.

"He's insane, you know that, Brother. Let's go home."

For once, I followed Al, my thoughts distant. I was _so_ drawn to Roy, but how was I to become human…?

As if my life needed to become any more complicated.


	4. Chapter 4

I wouldn't call it an obsession, just a preoccupation. Besides, I couldn't _help_ it. I couldn't stop thinking about Roy—what he was doing now, if he had gotten a good look at me (and if so, if he liked what he saw), if I would ever see him again…the man had a way of getting in my head.

Still, it probably wasn't a good idea to sleep in his jacket. That was probably going too far, but I never expected Hohenheim to see, to actually come to our room…

* * *

"EDWARD ELRIC!"

I sat up, hair whipping behind me with the speed. "Whatzit?" I looked around groggily, snapping into alertness when I saw Hohenheim in front of me instead of Al.

I looked down, eyes widening at the sight of Roy's blue coat covering my torso. Shit.

"_What_ is _that_!?"

For once, I was at a loss for words; how was I supposed to get out of this one? I spotted Alphonse lurking in a corner. He shrugged helplessly.

"It's—" I decided to go with the truth. Hohenheim was perpetually pissed at me anyway; it wasn't like I had anything to lose. "—it's a jacket. A human jacket."

"And where," Hohenheim's voice was low and dangerous, and for the first time in my life I was actually afraid of the man, "did you _get_ it, Edward?"

"Found it stuck on a coral reef?" I didn't mean for the statement to come out as a question.

"The truth!" Hohenheim thundered, making Al squeal.

At this point, I was getting angry myself. "Fine, then! I got it from a human on board the ship that sank a few days ago! He was drowning, and I saved him, but had to get his jacket off because it was so heavy. So I went and got it, _from the reef_."

Hohenheim was turning purple with rage. "HOW _DARE_ YOU DISOBEY ME!"

"Fuck you!" I shouted. The room turned silent as the grave. "You don't know _anything_!" I continued. "I love the surface; why do you have to try to keep me away from it? Humans aren't dangerous! He wasn't bad, he was just having fun on his ship! Was I supposed to let him drown?" I trailed off, "He was so beautiful…it would have been tragic to lose him…"

He didn't speak, merely raised his hand, hitting me hard in the chest. A glow filled the room; though I knew it was useless, I begged for him to stop, he couldn't do this—

The light faded. Roy's jacket was no more, decomposed into particles no bigger than dust.

"How could you!?" I wailed. My one memento of Roy, the best part of the human world I had seen so far, was gone.

"It's for the best, Edward. You must focus on your life, not go chasing after some human you can never have. You're a merman—remember that." With that he left.

My eyes burned with tears. How could he be so _heartless_?

Adrenaline rushed through me—I knew what to do. I swam out a window, Alphonse yelling for me to wait.

"Brother! Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see Dante," I declared, voice strong. "I'm going to become a human."

* * *

Alphonse tried to stop me up until the point when we reached the mouth of Dante's cave. Envy was standing there, and he laughed when he saw me. "I knew you'd come."

He led us down into the cave, Al now silent. He must have been afraid, and I realized it was cruel of me to bring him to the place where he lost his body, but then again, I didn't tell him to come with me.

"Edward Elric…it's been so long since I've seen you, and Alphonse too…" I shivered at the sound of the Sea Witch's voice before steeling myself. I had to do this.

"I need your help."

"Hmm, and what'll it be this time?" She swam out of the shadows. Dante looked worse, like she was growing old at a rapid pace.

"I-I need to become a human."

The homunculi came out of their shadows, curious about my request. I tried to ignore their stares. "Well, I can do _that_," Dante grinned. "But it will cost you an arm."

I gulped, trying not to think about the prospect. "Fine."

"May I ask why you want this?"

"I want to…meet a particular person."

"Oh!" Dante swam around behind me, putting her hands on my shoulders. "That's the one Envy told me about, the one you _love_…"

I didn't say anything, making the Sea Witch laugh. "Oh, excellent. I enjoy a good love story."

"And," I said, the thought just coming to me. "I want you to give Alphonse his body back."

"Oh, dear…that will come at _such _a price."

"What do I have to do?"

"Well, for starters, I'll need to take one of your legs once you become human. Beyond that…well, I think your servitude would be nice, but of course then I can't grant your first wish." Dante thought for a moment, a creepy grin forming on her face. "So, I'll just make your love life a little…_difficult_. You will have three days to get this human to kiss you. If you do not manage this, you will be mine for all eternity. And, just to spice things up…you will not be able to tell him about the world under the sea, nor will you be able to speak of you rescuing him. Do you accept these terms?"

My voice, I am proud to say, didn't even shake. I would take those odds. "I do."

"Well then…" Light flashed around me for the second time that day. In this instance, it hurt; I screamed, hearing all do the same behind me. Then, all of a sudden, I couldn't breathe; it felt like I was going to be crushed. I tried to swim, but a single arm and leg weren't helping me much.

"Oh, you do know humans can't breathe underwater, don't you, Ed?" Dante laughed maliciously. Of course, this was her plan all along; to never have me reach the surface.

Then I felt hands grab me, pulling me upward. A blue tail slapped against my side, and my eyes widened even as the edges of my vision grew black; it was Alphonse, back in his normal body, dragging me up through the ocean to the surface.

We just barely made it. On my first inhale, I got water, and I coughed, retching. That was _horrible_. The next breath was better, and so was the third. I splashed vaguely, trying to keep myself up; only with Al's help was I able to.

Admittedly, the first few minutes of being human were turning out to suck…but I was still excited.

"C'mon, Al. I think a visit to Winry is in order; I'll need a few limbs before I find Roy."


	5. Chapter 5

"Yo! Winry!" I shouted, louder than normal, as me and Al were stuck at the base of her little rock-island. Of course, Alphonse could have gone up the path like normal, but he was afraid to leave me down here alone. He was convinced I would fall off and drown.

"WINRY" I positively bellowed, making Al clap his hands over his ears. Well, I had to get her attention; I only had three days to make Roy kiss me or else I would be a merman again. I didn't have the time to wait for this girl to wake up nice and slow.

"Oi, I'm coming!" I allowed myself a satisfied grin. Finally.

"That's you, right Ed? Why aren't you coming u—" Winry paused as she spotted me and Alphonse. "YOU'VE GOT A LEG?"

"Yeah…and I could use another one. And an arm," I wiggled my shoulder. "What's it take for a guy to get some automail around here?"

Winry doubled over, laughing. I couldn't tell whether she was just happy, or losing her mind entirely. "C'mon," she said, approaching us once she was finished. Winry picked me up (which was irritating to no end) and carried me to her shack. "Let's get you fixed up!"

* * *

I won't go into specifics, but I will say that getting some automail put on made me reconsider being human. It was so fucking painful! No wonder I never saw Winry with any other humans. How many of them could really endure that?

Still, when she stood me up, waiting for me to find my balance, and put me in front of a mirror, I was pretty happy.

I walked around, watching myself. My upper body, save my arm was unchanged, still lean yet somewhat muscular, and my flesh leg matched. I was a little concerned about the automail; while it was definitely preferable to nothing, I didn't know if Roy would like it.

"So, what do you think?" Winry asked. "I myself think it's great."

"The automail? Yeah, you did wonderful…" I trailed off, still unsure.

"Matches your body perfectly," she remarked. "Especially that bum of yours."

I turned around, looking at my backside. I didn't know much about human physique, but I had to agree, it seemed pretty nice to me. Hopefully Roy would at least like _that_.

"Well, then," I said, confident again. "I'd better get a move on. Thanks Winry!"

"Good luck with your man, Ed!" she chuckled.

* * *

Once again, Al had had to assist me in swimming to shore, this time due to the heaviness of the automail…and Winry's insistence that I not over exert myself.

Now I waited there, with Alphonse floating just behind a rock. I wasn't sure that Roy would come by, but I figured I should wait a while just in case. After all, I had no idea where he lived, and I wasn't all that great at walking just yet. It wasn't the best idea to go wandering around inland with those circumstances.

"Fucking hell!" I cried out, flinging my hair over my shoulder for the umpteenth time. I glanced at Al. "I never knew how irritating it was to not have your hair float out of your way like it does underwater."

"Here, Brother." Alphonse disappeared for a moment under the surface, before coming back up and flinging a piece of seaweed at me. "Tie it up."

"Good idea." It took me a while, as I was unused to my hair being this way, but I got it braided and out of my face at last.

My hair was drying like that, and I had almost given up hope when I heard Roy's voice.

"I'm telling you, Havoc, there was a boy, and he saved me! I…I think he was part fish."

He remembered me! I beamed at Al, waving goodbye before heading toward his voice.

"Stop joking around, Colonel." I heard the one called Havoc respond. Well, that was a little insulting. I walked faster, turning the corner—

Only to fall, flat on my face, right in front of Roy.

"Whoa!" He said, bending down to get me back on my feet. I noticed he had not replaced his jacket, and was wearing only a white shirt. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I muttered, embarrassed at my entrance. "Just not used to walking yet…"

"What…oh!" Roy spotted my automail. I held my breath, hoping he wouldn't dislike it. "You've just gotten this, then?"

I nodded. "And my arm."

Roy's black eyes widened. "What happened to you?"

I opened my mouth to tell him about Dante, but the words wouldn't come up. Of course. I couldn't talk about that. Instead, I simply said, "It's a long story."

Inexplicably, Roy began to strip off his shirt. I stared, watching his chest appear, then his abs…

He pushed my arms through the shirt, before buttoning it up. "There," he muttered. "No matter what the story is, you shouldn't walk around naked." I blushed, not having thought about getting clothes. I blamed Winry for that one—I wasn't used to wearing them, and she, as a human, should have reminded me.

Havoc laughed behind Roy. "Colonel, you don't have to mother the poor kid."

Roy rolled his eyes and looked at me. "Do you have anywhere to go? Or would you like to come with me?"

Yes! This was my chance! "I'd love to come with you, if it's no trouble…"

"Not at all." Roy turned and began to walk away with Havoc. I followed carefully, managing to trip on just about everything—most of all, my own feet.

"Here," I hadn't noticed that Roy had turned back until he put an arm around me, helping me walk. "Better?"

I nodded, smiling up at him.

"Say," he said, pondering. "You don't by any chance know anything about merpeople do you? I think one saved me the other day…"

I nodded excitedly.

"What? What is it?" He asked, equally expectant.

Once again, I opened my mouth, but no words came forth. I pushed, straining against the block, but it was no use. I sighed, hanging my head. "I'm sorry. I can't say."

Roy paused. "That's alright," he finally said. "You've at least confirmed I'm not the only one who believes they exist."

We headed up a path to massive house, almost the size of the palace under the sea. I couldn't help but gape.

"Colonel Roy Mustang," he formally introduced himself. "Son of the Fuhrer, hence the house."

He led me inside, then turned to Havoc. "Show him to a room, won't you?" Then back to me, "What did you say your name was?"

"Edward."

"Well, Edward, we'll talk more tomorrow, after you've rested."

I nodded, smiling still, before allowing myself to be led away by Havoc.

It was only the end of the first day, and I was staying inside Roy's house. Hopefully, the next two days would go just as smoothly.


	6. Chapter 6

"C'mon, kid, rise and shine, the Colonel wants to see you in the library."

I opened my eyes, pulling myself out of a deep slumber. These human beds were just so _comfortable_, soft and squishy; it was hard to force myself up. After a moment I rolled out of bed, managing to stay upright. I headed towards the door, glad to see I was finally getting the hang of walking, but then—

"Whoa, whoa, where are you going?"

Havoc stopped me. I glanced up at him, confused. "You've gotta shower first, y'know."

I had never heard of a shower before. "What?"

He stared at me like I was crazy. "You've never heard of a shower? Y'know, where the water comes out of the wall and you clean yourself?" I shook my head; having lived underwater, I of course had no need to make _water_ come out of the _walls_.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Havoc muttered, before steering me in the opposite direction, through another door, and into what he called the bathroom.

He pulled the shirt I slept in off of me, leaving me naked. I thought this was rather strange, seeing as Roy had been so adamant yesterday that I not walk around without clothes. I was just about to point this out when Havoc turned a knob, causing water to fly out of the wall with a sudden violence. I jumped.

"Get in, then."

I did as he said, feeling rather at home under the stream. Sure, it was a lot less water than I was used to, and it was _warm_, but it still calmed me.

"See that bottle in the corner?" Havoc asked. I nodded. "Squeeze it onto your hair, rub it in, and then wash it off.

I tried to do as he said, but ended up with a goopy mess on the floor _and_ in my hair. Sighing, and muttering something about me being an idiot, Havoc took off his jacket, rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, and did it himself.

He took out my braid, which was irritating, considering how long it had taken me to get that done, but when he began to massage my scalp I was pleasantly surprised. It didn't feel so bad, when you did it right…good enough, even, for me to forget the comment about my intelligence…

The water shut off, and Havoc threw me a piece of cloth. "Dry off, c'mon, you gotta be able to do that." And I could, getting most of the water off my body as I ran the cloth over my limbs. Once done, I looked up at him, waiting for further instruction.

"Clothes," he muttered. The same as Roy had yesterday, Havoc buttoned a shirt up on me, and then yanked some pants into place (which, I have to say, was a thoroughly uncomfortable affair).

Finally, he led me down to the library. I braided my hair again on the way down, snatching a string from the sleeve of my shirt to tie it.

"Edward's here," Havoc announced, leaving me in front of the open door.

Roy smiled, and I grinned back. It was impossible not to. "Here, have a seat, Edward." He pulled out a chair next to him.

"You can call me Ed, you know," I said as I sat down.

Again, he smiled, eyes flashing with excitement for some reason. "Alright then, Ed. I know you couldn't talk to me yesterday about what you knew about me being rescued, but…could you write it down?"

My heart leaped. Was it possible? Without responding to Roy's question, I took the instrument he offered me and looked around for something to write on. He handed me a thin sheet of something-or-another, and I set to work.

But the problem was, I couldn't write what I wanted to. I got "I" down, but when I tried to continue, my hand froze up. I looked up at Roy, shaking my head hopelessly. The light in his eyes died down, taking a little bit of my heart with it.

What was I going to do? I had to keep Roy's attention somehow—and then it came to me: alchemy. I hadn't seen anyone up here do it so far, so maybe humans didn't know how. And seeing as I wouldn't have to reveal where I came from to do alchemy, I thought maybe I should give it a shot.

"You know, I can't do that, but I do have another neat trick…" I clapped my hands, then placed them on the table, hoping human wood wasn't too different from the kind we sometimes found floating in the ocean.

Once the light cleared, I knew I had been successful. One corner of the table had been used up, and in its place was a small, detailed statuette of Roy.

I turned to look at the real thing, pleased by the look of complete shock on his face (and glad to see he was not worried about the state of his table). I laughed.

"I take it you can't use alchemy then?"

Roy pushed his hand through his hair, which was very attractive. "Alchemy…I always thought it was just a legend."

I shook my head. "Almost everyone can do it where I'm from."

"So…is it just wood, or can you do it with other things as well?"

I smiled, glad to see he was so interested. "You can do alchemy with almost anything. Most people have to use transmutation circles though."

"Why didn't you?"

I looked away, eyes downcast. "Let's just say my ability is a…sort of consolation prize for a very bad decision I made once."

Roy was sensitive enough not to ask more about that. Instead, he leaned forward, eyes intense. "Can you teach it to me? Alchemy?"

"Sure, I can try. What do you want to use it for?"

"Well," Roy looked about, seeming a bit self-conscious. "I…have a bit of an affinity for fire…"

"Fire alchemy," I mused. I had heard of a few mermen using it before, only above ground of course. "It's very difficult, and we don't really use it where I'm from, but we'll see what we can do. Now, do you have anything that can make a spark?"

* * *

By the end of the morning, Roy had managed to do a small bit of fire alchemy, making a flame jump a solid foot before sputtering out. He seemed frustrated that he hadn't done better, but I was impressed.

"It's really hard, I told you that. I didn't know if I could do it myself, so I'm not sure there's much else I can teach you…It's really more of the same, just you learn to exert more control on the flame."

Roy clutched the lighter tightly in his palm, covering the new, engraved transmutation circle with his fingers. "All right, then. I'll just have to practice." He checked his watch. "How about some lunch?"

I nodded, eager and happy when Roy helped me up, keeping his hand on mine for just a moment longer than I thought was natural.


	7. Chapter 7

I don't know what I was expecting for lunch, but it certainly wasn't…_this_.

There was a bowl full of strange, colored water sitting in front of me, in which floated odd orange and white chunks, and an unidentifiable meat. I had only ever eaten fish; I had no idea _what _this was, or how the water was considered food.

I glanced over at Roy. He was digging in, using a metal tool with a sort of dip on the end to scoop up the water and drink it, chewing the bits of other food inside.

I picked up my own tool cautiously, making sure it didn't slip out of my automail fingers, and placed it in the bowl, scooping up some water and a particularly large chunk of the meat. Carefully, carefully, I placed it in my mouth.

"Mmm!" I couldn't stop the satisfied sound from escaping my lips. It was delicious! The water was flavored, and the meat tasted so different from fish that I didn't know _how_ to describe it, other than good.

Roy glanced over at me. "You like it?" he asked.

I swallowed. "Yeah! What's it called?"

Roy looked puzzled. "It's soup. You've never had it before?"

I shook my head. "What kind of animal is a soup?"

At this, Roy laughed, just as he was bringing a mouthful to his face. Water dripped onto the table, which he dabbed at with a napkin as he calmed down. "The whole _thing_ is soup. The meat is chicken. It's a kind of bird."

Oh. That was embarrassing. My face red at my mistake, I continued eating silently, while Roy chuckled. At least he didn't seem irritated by my ignorance.

"Finished?" he asked a few minutes later. Once again I nodded, feeling pleasantly full.

"How about a drive?"

Again, I was forced to display my lack of knowledge. "A what?"

At this point, Roy seemed to be used to my silly questions. He grabbed my hand, not letting go as he pulled me away from the table. "C'mon, I'll show you."

Roy entered a side room that looked like an unused office, and grabbed a wired machine from the wall. He spoke into it. "Lieutenant? Meet me at the car. We're taking our guest for a ride."

I was slightly concerned for his sanity, talking to a piece of plastic like that, but allowed him to lead me out of the house. There sat a large machine, big enough to fit inside and I could see that was the point; there were seats visible through the windows. I didn't know what it did, but it looked impressive.

Just a moment later we were joined by the only woman in Roy's company. I had only ever heard her be called "Lieutenant." That weird thing in the office must have called her here.

Roy opened the door near the back of the large machine—didn't he call it a car?—and gestured me inside. I stepped in, scooting to the far side, pleased when Roy sat beside me. The woman sat in front, behind a circle. She must have done something, because the car suddenly roared to life, shaking beneath me. "Whoa!" I jumped, clinging instinctively to Roy's shirt. He laughed, patting my arm.

"It's all right, Ed."

Just then we began to move. I was about to shout out, warn them that we were about to crash into a tree—though they clearly should have seen it—when the Lieutenant turned the circle, changing the car's direction.

I laughed in delight. That was genius!

We rolled along, slowly, as Roy instructed. I was awestruck by the surface world, pressing my face up against my window and even leaning across Roy to get a better look at the trees, the birds, the little animals that scampered in the bushes. It was so _filled_; everything underwater seemed much more spread out.

As we began to complete the wide loop the Lieutenant was driving in, we neared the beach, and Roy asked her to stop the car. He got out. "C'mon, Ed, let's walk."

As much fun as I was having in the car, I thought a walk would be nice, too, especially since I would be alone with Roy. I jumped out, following him eagerly, and giving the Lieutenant a little wave goodbye.

He didn't speak, and so, neither did I. We came upon the beach, and I caught sight of Al in the ocean. I barely held back a chuckle; even restrained as he was to the water, my little brother was looking out for me.

A flash of inspiration hit me. I could have _Al_ tell Roy about merpeople, and me saving him, and…that idea was dismissed quickly. Alphonse, now, looked very similar to me. Roy was liable to think that _he_ had rescued him, and Al, with his tendency to be unable to speak when flustered, would not be able to explain the situation properly if that happened. No, I was on my own.

"You know, I think sunsets on the beach are the most beautiful thing," Roy whispered, slowing and eventually stopping. I recognized the area as the place I had brought him to after his near-drowning.

"I prefer sunrises, myself…" I said absently.

Roy sat, patting the ground beside him. "Really? Why?"

I cocked my head, thoughtful. "Well, this is the first sunset I've ever seen," I said slowly, gazing out at the water and sky, both painted a rainbow of colors. "But even so, I can safely say I like sunrises better. That moment when the sky is lighting up and the first flash of the sun comes over the horizon…it's breathtaking."

Roy murmured his agreement, settling in comfortably next to me as we watched the sunset. As darkness fell, the air grew colder, and I scooted closer to the man, who didn't seem to mind. He even drew me in closer with his arm.

Just as I was getting my hopes up, thinking maybe now would be a good time to make a move, Roy began to speak. "You know, I woke up here after that merman saved me."

I nodded, hoping to convey a bit of the truth through this. Roy, however, didn't get the hint. "I couldn't see him very clearly—I was still groggy from passing out in the storm. But I woke up, and saw his face for just a second. He was illuminated from above, so he was all shadowy…he had long hair. It fell almost to my face…"

Hmm…I reached up, pulling my braid out and allowing my hair to fan out across my shoulders, but Roy, lost in his memory, didn't notice.

"It looked like he had dark hair." I panicked. Wrong, wrong, wrong! "But that could have been the shadow." I breathed. Of course Roy was smart enough to consider that. "He laughed, giggled really. And he smiled at me, and cupped my cheek. I can still feel it, his hand, his _right_ hand, I remember, on my face…and then he disappeared."

I looked down at my right hand, now made of metal and screws, containing nothing more than wires within. Now thoroughly put out, I said nothing.

"You know, Ed, sometimes I think you look a little bit like him when you smile," Roy breathed, turning towards me. I smiled then, begging for him to connect the dots in his head.

But no. Roy stood after a moment, pulling me up with him. "Well, no sense in reminiscing like that. C'mon, you should get some sleep, and I want to practice fire alchemy some more."

I followed after him silently, dragging my feet. How sad was it that _my _actions as a merman were exactly what kept distracting Roy from my human self now?


	8. Chapter 8

I woke in the middle of the night, a strangled scream on my lips. I cursed inwardly. Of all the times to have a nightmare, it had to be while I was a guest at Roy's house. I beat my pillow in frustration, hoping against hope that no one had heard.

Of course I wasn't that lucky.

Roy himself came in, and I caught him tucking the lighter into his back pocket. No wonder he was up so late; he was practicing. A smile came to my face as I realized how much he must love what I had shown him.

"Ed? Are you okay? I heard a scream."

I sighed, grin falling from my face, embarrassed and angry at my lack of control. "I'm fine," I muttered, "just a stupid nightmare."

"You sound mad." Roy sat beside me, waiting for an explanation.

I turned over on my back so that I didn't have to look him in the eyes. "It's just…my mother died. And I couldn't take it, so I made a bad decision, and I ended up hurting my brother."

"You have a brother?"

I nodded. "And he's fine now, it's just…a really bad memory that tends to come back at night."

Roy was confused. He began to rub my arm absentmindedly. "So shouldn't you be sad, not upset?"

"I'm _mad_ because I can't control it. It's in the past, and it shouldn't bother me now. I should be over it—my brother isn't angry at me or anything. But I can't get away from the nightmare."

"Ed," Roy said softly, tracing the lines of my fingers, "I don't know exactly what happened, but you shouldn't be this way about it. Obviously it was really upsetting, and you can't help what you dream. You're not weak just because you remember something like that."

I gave a weak smile. If there was one good thing about that nightmare, it was that it gave me yet another chance to get closer to Roy. He was so kind, so sure of himself…I opened my mouth, not sure what I was going to say when—

"Colonel!" Havoc burst through the door. "Oh…am…I interrupting something?" he asked, shuffling awkwardly back through the doorway so that only his head was poking in the room.

"No, we were just talking," Roy said, stifling a laugh at Havoc's expense. s

"Oh…well I just thought you should know, we have another guest."

Another? Who? Could Al have gotten himself all the way up here?

Roy stood up. "Let's go see, then."

I hurried to follow him out, curious and a little worried. This coming day was my last chance—I didn't want Roy to get distracted.

I stayed at the top of the staircase as Roy went to the door, where a boy about my own age stood. As I studied him, I was struck by how much like me this stranger looked. His hair was dark, but the same sort of texture, though he didn't have bangs. His eyes were just as large as my own (which was saying something), though a different color. He was also a little paler, but we had the same facial shape, and he smiled the same way I did.

After the surprise of seeing someone who could, with a little work, be my doppelganger, the fear set in. This kid _looked_ like me. What if Roy somehow thought he was the one who had rescued him?

Heart pounding, I rushed down the stairs. The boy introduced himself. "My name's Wrath." My blood ran cold. I'd only ever met one group of people that had names like that…

Dante's homunculi.

I gaped in silent horror as Wrath skipped up to Roy, giggling, and stroked his cheek before kissing it. A hot wave of fury rolled over me, but was stopped by the expression on Roy's face: an excitement beyond even that he had when practicing alchemy…

"It's you," he whispered, grabbing Wrath's right hand. "You saved me!"

Wrath nodded, and my eye was drawn to the hand Roy was holding. It was oddly different from the rest of Wrath, of a much more tanned complexion…

The truth dawned on me slowly. If Dante had sent this homunculus up here to take my spot as Roy's savior and therefore prevent me from winning against her…and if she had also taken my arm and leg as payment…it was just possible.

That was my hand.

Without a sound, I crept to the back of the house (feeling rather forlorn and forgotten as no one noticed me doing so), and exited. I ran, half blind, to the beach—where else was I to go? Roy believed that Wrath had saved him, and how was I going to convince him otherwise? I couldn't even mention what I did!

At the water's edge I dropped to my knees, letting a few stray tears leak out. I'd lost Roy, and this sunrise now coming up over the horizon would be the last I would ever see—after tonight, I would be Dante's slave.

"Brother?"

"Al…" I whispered. "That bitch, she tricked me. She—"

"Sent one of her homunculi up, I know." Al pulled himself out of the water to sit beside me. "What happened?"

"Roy thinks the homunculus—Wrath—saved him. Wrath has my arm, Al. And Roy thought he was me…" I trailed off, beginning to sob.

Alphonse was silent for a moment. "Brother…I think I might have an idea."

I looked up, a desperate hope shining in my eyes.

"I'll have to go prepare, but I think we might be able to fix this…after you turn back into a merman."

I sighed. "Except, I'll be Dante's slave. That won't work, Al."

To my great surprise, Alphonse grinned. "Unless we can fix it so that Roy sees the truth _just as _you change back…and if we bring in some reinforcements."

I gave Al a blank look, utterly lost. He waved me off, splashing back into the ocean. "Trust me, Brother, I have a plan.

As I watched Alphonse swim off, I had only one thought in my head, and I spoke it aloud to the empty beach. For once I was not pleased to see the sky turning light.

"What can you possibly do to fix this mess?"


	9. Chapter 9

Sunset. The beach. Where have I seen this before?

I was sitting not too far off from Roy and _Wrath_ (who were on the beach where I had been with Roy _just last night_), concealed behind a large-ish rock.

I found it hard to breath, watching the happy duo talking and laughing. Half of me was devastated—as to be expected. Roy had completely forgotten about me, believed that Wrath had saved him…I was nothing now. And half of me was _fucking pissed_. How could he just abandon me like that? I can't believe I cared so much about such an asshole!

For the umpteenth time, I bit back a sob. I would not cry. I would wait here, and when Dante came for me, I would be able to see Roy one last time before my servitude began.

I heard footsteps behind me, and whirled around to see—

"Winry!?" I whisper-shouted. She was just about the last person I expected to see. "I thought you never left your little island?"

"I don't," she whispered back, giggling as was her wont. "But just for you, I did!"

I started to ask her to explain, when she darted out of the cover and headed for Roy.

Dammit! I hesitated, then followed her slowly. As much as I hated having to get closer to Roy and Wrath, I couldn't let Winry do anything stupid.

"Hey," she said, "Roy Mustang, right?"

Roy turned, startled. "Yes," he said slowly, taking in Winry and my embarrassed form behind her. "What do you need?"

"Winry, don't—" she slapped a palm over my mouth.

"I'm here to tell you the truth," she declared. "That…_thing_," she pointed at Wrath, who looked outraged, "didn't save you. Edward did."

I thought I was going to boil under the force of Roy's scrutiny. "I was saved by a merman," he explained slowly.

"Does that look like a merman to you?" Winry asked, again directing her gaze to Wrath.

He piped up to defend himself. "I _changed_ myself. I used to be a merman."

"Oh, fuck you!" I got the words out, pulling Winry's hand from my face. "You were—" and my voice broke off, Dante evidently having blocked that explanation too.

"What Ed means to say," Winry took over for me, "is that Wrath here was _created_. See, Ed's a merman…or he was until he met you."

At this, Wrath jumped up, about to go after Winry, but I tackled him to the ground, clapping my hands once and sealing him under the sand. Only his head was visible, though his mouth was covered.

"He had this Sea Witch change him because—" it was my turn to cover Winry's mouth. I caught her eye, shaking my head hard. She pulled my hand off. "Because he loves you."

I looked away from Roy's gaze, face burning. I hadn't wanted him to find out, not like _that._ Winry went on, either not noticing or not caring about the situation she had just created. "He can't talk about it, because of the terms of his contract. But he was the one who saved you."

Roy looked at me skeptically. I raised my arms, untying my hair. I walked over to him, and smiled at him from above.

"Oh!" He let out a tiny gasp of surprise, and I was gratified to see recognition in his eyes.

Just then, I cried out, my legs suddenly burning, fusing together. Wrath let out a similar yell, as his arm—my arm—was ripped off and returned to me. My automail arm dropped to the ground with a dull thunk. I myself toppled over, and into Roy's lap.

In less than a minute, I lay there, a merman once more. I looked up at Roy helplessly, found I was now able to speak. That, at least, was a good thing. "And I only had three days to make you love me," I whispered.

"Or what?" he said, eyes wide. He was much less surprised to see my tail than I would have expected.

"Or I belong to Dante—the Sea Witch."

Roy moved over to me, hugging me fiercely. "Ed…" he whispered, face buried in my hair, "I'm so sorry I didn't see it sooner."

My anger at him dissipated—after all, how was he to know that _I _had saved him when I couldn't even speak about it?

Just then, the water a short way out began to bubble. A few tears trickled out, unchecked, as I prepared myself for Dante's arrival.

But it wasn't Dante.

It was Hohenheim.

How…? Oh. Alphonse was swimming silently beside Hohenheim. He must have thought our _father_ would help…

He spoke before I could stop him. "Edward, how could you go to Dante? _Again_? You know better!"

Again, my anger flared. "Because of Roy! You wouldn't let me go to him…what was I supposed to do?"

I was surprised by the amount of pain on Hohenheim's face. "I was wrong, Edward…"

Unfortunately, that was as much of an apology as I was going to get, because at that moment, Dante _did_ appear.

"No!" Roy gasped, clinging to me. In any other circumstance, I would have been celebrating how close I was to him. In this case, I was just happy to be hugged before I had to go.

"Edward Elric!" the Sea Witch yelled, her face contorted with a sick kind of glee. "You are _mine!_"

"Dante!" Hoehenheim shouted. "I have my Stone. Take it instead."

The entire scene was quiet for a moment as she considered. Something clicked in my brain: why Hohenheim was so powerful, how he could do alchemy without a transmutation circle, how he never seemed to age…

He had a Philosopher's Stone!"

Then Dante pushed herself forward, snatching a necklace (in which a red jewel glinted) from Hohenheim, who offered no resistance. Immediately, she looked healthier, and seemed to grow bigger, while Hohenheim hunched over, aging at a rapid pace.

"Oh, by the way, Hohenheim…" Dante cooed. "I never said 'yes.'"

I felt a wrenching in my gut, and was torn away from Roy. I had to give him credit; in the face of merpeople, a Sea Witch, and all the other shit I'd put in front of him, he was calm and concentrated. He held my arms, nails digging into my skin with the effort of keeping me with him.

But he was only human—how was he supposed to defeat Dante?

I found myself pulled back, off the beach, while Roy fell to his face in the sand. I crashed into the water just in front of Dante, and was unable to move more than a few inches.

I looked around, taking in the hopeless faces of my family and Roy—along with the blank look of shock on Winry's face, and the mirth in Wrath's eyes, still buried though he was in sand. Then I looked upward, to see Dante staring down at me with triumph in her eyes.

That was it, then.

I belonged to Dante.


	10. Chapter 10--End

"Now, then," Dante purred. "What should I do first, hmm?"

Something in me shouted to put up a fight, but what could I do? I struggled against my invisible bonds, aiming to get at Dante, but she had a Philosopher's Stone now—I couldn't break through.

"I think," she continued, "I will take care of you all."

Placing her hands on the Stone, Dante froze a portion of the water into a spear, throwing it at Alphonse.

"No!" I cried, relief flooding through me as he dove under the surface, avoiding the icy missile. But then Dante started boiling the water, a circle around her and I untouched but everywhere else bubbling with heat.

Al screamed, swimming as fast as possible toward the beach. Upon reaching it, he flopped down, gasping in pain; his tail was peeling and his skin pink. I watched the scene helplessly, doing a double take when I realized Roy was nowhere to be seen.

No, no, no. Where was he? Not in the water, he _couldn't_ be.

I fought against the panic rising in me as Hohenheim dragged himself weakly out of the water, in worse shape than Al. Nearby, Wrath watched with disturbing happiness, and managed to rid himself of the gag.

He called out to Dante. "Let me out!"

She cackled, the sound causing a chill to run down my back. "You? You're missing limbs now, Wrath. You are of no use to me."

The homunculus continued to wail, begging as Dante froze more of the sea, taking her pick of the now-still, deathly sharp waves. Apparently finding one she liked, she picked the ice up, taking aim at Hohenheim and Alphonse.

I raised my arms, unable to reach her but desperate to help. "You can't!"

"I _can_!" she answered, eyes alight with malicious joy. Dante pulled her arm back, ready to strike—

And her head burst into flame.

The Sea Witch's terrible scream filled the air as she allowed herself to go under, effectively extinguishing the fire. When she rose up again, her face was badly burnt, though she fixed this quickly with the Stone. Dante's eyes shone with refreshed anger as she turned to face a new target, some way down the beach.

Roy.

Meeting her gaze evenly, he flicked the lighter I had given him, thumb brushing against the transmutation circle on the side.

Another shot of flame rocketed at Dante, this time igniting her arm. Again, she used water and the Philosopher's Stone to right herself, before speeding off in Roy's direction.

"Roy!" I shouted, terrified but unable to squash the pride that rose up in me; it was amazing that he had this much control over fire already. He did not answer me, running along the shore and ducking behind a cluster of rocks to avoid an icy shard. Again he clicked his lighter, and again Dante was alight for mere moments.

"Two can play at that game, human!" she snarled. She pushed herself out of the water, grasping the Stone and causing a small explosion in the air by Roy's head. I cried out once more, and she turned to me.

"Shut _up_." My screams ended with a gurgle as she blocked my mouth with water.

While Dante was distracted, Roy (having thankfully avoided the blast), again directed the fire towards her head.

Dante was slower, this time, launching off another explosion before bothering to help herself. Roy shouted, agony lacing his voice, and I saw the smoking hole in the side of his shirt, the red and angry flesh…

Tears began to stream down my face. Alphonse was crawling down the beach, his burnt tail clearly giving him hell, trying to do I don't know what.

But Roy wasn't finished. Gritting his teeth, he came after Dante again and again, firing off bouts of flame too fast for her to put them out from his position kneeling on the ground. All she could do now was use the Stone's power, healing herself even as she was burnt.

Suddenly I felt the hold on me lessen, the water blocking my mouth falling away as Dante focused her energies. Instantly, I leaped up, grabbing the Philosopher's Stone from her hand, throwing it with all my might towards Hohenheim.

She shrieked, then coughed, a horrible, ripping noise as the fire Roy refused to slow went down her throat. Hohenheim, looking immediately better with the Stone back in his possession, stood back and watched passively as Dante burnt, screaming until she could no longer make sound, and then was no more.

Roy fell back onto the sand, exhausted and pained. I swam forward, my tail pumping hard to get to him. At the last minute, I launched myself out of the ocean, landing next to Roy.

"Roy!"

"I'm—I'm okay, Ed." This said even as he grimaced, eyes shut tight against the pain.

"No, no," I half-sobbed, inspecting his wound. "Hohenheim!" I yelled. "Please!"

The Philosopher's Stone was the only thing that could heal this wound; all I could do was hope that Hohenheim would use it on a human.

Thankfully, he did have some sense of honor. After finishing up with Alphonse, he made his way over to Roy, placing the Stone at his side.

Roy gasped, eyes opening wide at the sensation. When the red light faded, his side was healed, just a scar remaining.

Unable to restrain myself, I bent down and hugged him tight. He laughed, holding me against him. Alphonse let out a little cough, but I ignore him; I was so happy I could barely breathe.

"Edward."

I released Roy slowly, smiling as he sat up. I turned to Hohenheim, suddenly nervous. What would he do to me now that the danger was past?

"I was wrong, Edward. Clearly, not all humans are dangerous." He turned to Roy. "I am indebted to you for stopping her, and for keeping my son safe these past few days."

Roy simply grinned, pulling me to his side. "Don't mention it."

Back to me. "Edward, I have a question for you." I nodded, encouraging him to continue. "Do you love this man?"

I ducked my head, face reddening. I could feel Roy's gaze on the top of my head, but could not bring myself to meet it, not until he whispered gently, "Ed?"

I looked Roy in the eye as I answered Hohenheim. "Yeah," I whispered. "I do love him."

Roy's responding grin contrasted oddly with Hohenheim's loud sigh. I turned to glare at him, and he held his hands up. Al giggled.

"And, Roy," he said next. "Do you love Edward?"

My head whipped around to look once more at Roy, curious and, of course, nervous to hear his response. My eyes widened as he kissed my forehead before answering, "Of course I do."

A fierce glee rushed through me, and I threw my arms around Roy's neck, unable to contain myself. He laughed, eyes shining.

"Well, then," Hohenheim murmured, "I suppose I should grant your wish."

As I turned to see what he meant, he placed his hands on the Stone once more, and I felt a tingle in my tail—no, my _legs_!

I was a human again.

I stood, noticing that I had been given shorts this time. Roy pulled himself up as well, chuckling. I squeaked, feeling a hand on my backside.

"Much better than the tail," Roy whispered in my ear, causing me to blush violently.

"You have to let me visit, Brother!" Al insisted, saving me from having to respond.

I smiled at him. "Of course I will, Alphonse."

Both Hohenheim and Al beamed at me, beginning to descend into the water.

I said one last thing, just before they disappeared. "Thank you…Dad."

Roy pulled me close, tilting my head up and kissing me. I couldn't hide my elation—after three days of trying for it, I finally got my kiss.

And beyond that, I finally got the life I'd always wanted.


End file.
